New York reminds Hiro of Tokyo, though it is a city of steel and stone to Tokyo's steel and wood. He finds himself unconsciously moving with the tide of people, though he doesn't step out into the crosswalks when the sign is red. He wonders if these people are really trying to get themselves run over.

He finds, though, that he's far too short in this city of gaijin and it makes it hard for him to really see anything except when he's right on top of them.

"Mi-te! Mi-te!" he says to Ando. He pulls his friend through the throng of now-annoyed people to the store front he wanted to find. "Forbidden Planet!"

He's peering at the books in the window as Ando says, "Are you sure, Hiro-kun? This doesn't look like a place where we'll find an exploding man."

"The latest issue will be out! Perhaps it will tell us where the exploding man is."

Ando shrugs elaborately and follows Hiro into the store. As Hiro tries to remember his American alphabet to find the latest issue, Ando looks around for girls, only to be disappointed that there seem to be only guys around.

"Yattazo!" Hiro crows as quietly as possible, but still with great enthusiasm. He clutches the current issue of "Ninth Wonders" in hand, trying carefully not to crush it to pulp. Quickly he goes to the counter and pays for it.

"Now where?" Ando asks.

"A place where I can read it. A coffee shop will do."

With a shake of his head, Ando blends back into the crowd with his friend.

Nathan sipped at his coffee again and lifted his shoulders in another slight shrug. "Perhaps it's simply an issue of control... mind of matter. Like how we... you chose not to do what you can or you chose to do it. Maybe meditation would help or... or I suppose I could take..." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "...take him into the air when he's supposed to explode."

He knew that doing that would kill him, but Peter had told him he could survive anything. He'd seen his brother come back from the dead. And killing just him, Peter would eventually get over. Killing a large amount of New York's population, Peter would have a problem with.

Nathan nodded slightly. "I've heard about him. Small details here and there. He almost killed my brother... twice." His tone completely sobers at the last sentence about his brother. "You think that you can kill this brain man?"

Packed and as ready as she was going to get to go stay with her uncle's kind of girlfriend, Claire was going a little stir crazy. This was her first time in New York and everyone was busy doing something, which left her on her own. Leaving a note for Peter, telling she was headed toward the coffee shop she'd been to a few times. Nothing a good latte couldn't help her with.

She stopped when she entered the door at seeing Nathan there, not sure what she was supposed to do in this situation. Pretend she didn't know him? Walking up to the counter to place her order, she decided on doing just that.

Nathan spotted Claire almost the moment she entered the coffee shop. He bowed his head, not sure what to do. The coffee shop was busy, yes he was recognizable and had already heard and noticed whispers throughout the shop and people pointing in his direction. He didn't want to shun her though. She was his daughter. He quickly reminded himself that no one knew that but himself and Peter, Katherine and Sasha.

He hesitated and then turned to wave Claire down. "Claire." He lifted a corner of his lips in a small, half-smile and then looked back to Hiro. "Friend of the family." He said in explanation.

Claire paid for her coffee and turned at his voice. Funny, she'd know it anywhere now even if she didn't know him very well. She walked toward the table he was sitting at, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Hi...Nathan." They hadn't really talked about this type of situation, so she went with what seemed normal. If he called out to her in a crowded coffee shop that suggested he knew her. Right? "How are you?"

"So I've been told... more than once." Nathan nodded and eyed the top of the table. He leaned forward on his elbows and lowered his voice. "Let me ask you... what if there is no way to stop this... explosion? We would need to keep the country in tact. I know it would be devastating but..." He shook his head. "I'm not sure what I'm trying to say."

Claire was glad the subject seemed to have been changed. She took a seat at the empty chair at the table and hoped that Peter would get there soon. In the meantime, she could just stay quiet, sip on her coffee and not do anything to embarrass Nathan.